There are some problems that seem to persist no matter how much money, time, or other resources are thrown at them. This suggests that either the problems are systemic and cannot be resolved or we haven't thrown enough money, time, and other resources at the problem. However, I find the latter to be less credible than the former because for far too long we have, as a society, tried to help the poor in various ways.

The Nov. 25, 1909 NYT reports on private charity efforts to provide Thanksgiving dinners to those who could not afford to purchase the items necessary (another story in the NYT reports that the ingredients for a generic meal was around $4.25 or around $103 in 2008 dollars, which is perhaps not far from the mark for today's meal):

There was much bustle at the Little Missionaries' Day Nursery...last night for between 900 and 1,000 baskets containing Thanksgiving dinners for families averaging five to eight members each, were sent out, or were called on by those for whom they were intended. Last year nearly 700 dinners were given away, but last night saw the biggest free distribution of dinners which the nursery has managed since its organization in 1896 by Miss. Sara Curry.

Each basket contained potatoes, turnips, cabbage, onions, rice, coffee, tea, milk, sugar, pies, canned soups and vegetables of other kinds, as well as a whole chicken, the size of the latter depending upon the number of persons in the family for whom the basket was intended.

One wonders how many, in today's world of processed and prepared foods, would turn down such a basket today - not so much because they didn't "like" what was in the basket but because they wouldn't know what to do with the items in the basket.

Another article describes other private efforts in the city:

The Salvation Army has not done much this year in preparing Thanksgiving Day baskets of food, as it is keeping its energies in reserve for Christmas. The Volunteers of America, however, will distribute a large number of dinners, which it has provided out of its regular funds without recourse to outside contributions.

William J. Wollman of the firm of J. S. Bache & Co. has provided 1,000 baskets for the poor and is sending them out through nine charitable agencies.

The Rescue Society will deliver its annual message to-night at the Doyer Street Mission to the drifters and other frequenters of Chinatown and the Bowery. A thousand will be gathered into the mission house and there furnished a meal consisting of roast turkey and cranberry sauce, mince pie, vegetables, fruit, and tea or coffee.

At the expense of the estate of the late Mrs. William Astor about 500 newsboys will have a feast at the Newsboys' Home.